Posies and Politics

May 1st is one of my favorite French holidays. It’s the first of the spring holidays -- bringing hope (not always realized) for warmer weather and sun we have missed for months. As I have mentioned previously it is also a quirky blend of several different commemorations and traditions. All French people can unite behind the giving of sprigs of lily of the valley(“muguet”)to friends and family members for good luck today. This, after all, has been going on since the Middle Ages.

But May 1st is also Labor Day in France, as it is in many other countries.(It was a great shock to me when I first came here to discover that the choice of this date commemorated an American strike. It was a great shock to my French friends that I didn’t know this.) On May 1st 1886, in Chicago, four hundred thousand workers marched in favor of the 8 hour work week. Several days later the protest turned violent and police and strikers were killed. Three years after that, the International Socialists, holding their meeting in Paris that year in honor of the Centenary of the French Revolution, declared May 1st a “day of struggle” for the 8 hour work week. In 1941 the Vichy Government declared it a public holiday called Labor Day in an attempt to gain the support of union leaders. After the war, the holiday was confirmed. No one ever refuses a day off but only the Unions maintained their tradition of marching for Social Justice on this day. In Paris, they march from the Latin Quarter to the Bastille -- as befits idealists who want to change the world. For nearly 25 years, the far right, not to be outdone, has had their march on May 1st in Paris -- to celebrate Joan of Arc. Their route is shorter – from the Place de l’Opéra to her golden statue on rue de Rivoli near the Tuilleries Gardens. The reasons and choice of date are convoluted. Joan of Arc was first celebrated by the left – as a girl of the people “betrayed by her king and burned by her church” They lost interest in her when she was made a Saint by the same Church in 1920. After this, the Royalists adopted her ( since she had been a faithful servant of the King). The far right adopted her, too, as a symbol of French nationalism against the foreign (read European) enemy. For years, they commemorated their different visions of the young peasant girl together on the second Sunday of May. But in 1988, the second Sunday of May was the Second Round of the Presidential election. Jean Marie Le Pen, leader of the Far Right political party decided Joan of Arc should be commemorated on May 1st instead so as not to interfere with the election. His party has continued to do so ever since. Would I be cynical in thinking that this ensures that the unions and the leftist political leaders don’t get all the media coverage that evening? Nicolas Sarkozy may have thought so. Those who support him and his party have never had anything special to do on May 1st -- except giving muguet to their friends and families. At the end of April this year, M. Sarkozy declared he was calling the “real workers” to assemble at the Place de Trocadéro He later apologized for his “unfortunate phrase” but maintained his meeting. In a spirit of political ecumenism, I attended all these events for you. Each had numerous enthusiastic supporters and each had its own flavor. If you have read my text carefully, you’ll know which pictures came from which event, I’m sure.

Habemus President

On May 6th 2012, François Hollande’s election as President of France was announced, as most of you know.

How many different systems people have created in an attempt to organize free, open and honest elections! Experience in different countries has taught me that, as in most human endeavors, none is perfect – and yet all the variations work. Here’s the route that François Hollande took. First, of course, he had to become one of the candidates. Any French citizen over the age of 18 is theoretically qualified to run for President. Candidates do not need to belong to a recognized political party. Some found a party or movement just so they can run. But they must prove national support. All must turn in to the Conseil Consitutionel, at least six weeks before the election, 500 signatures from elected officials from at least 30 départements (counties) and with no more than 10% from any single département.This year, because of this last condition, only ten of the 29 people who had announced their candidacy, were able to run. François Hollande had another hurdle. In October 2011, the Socialists held their first-ever open primary with six candidates. It was preceded by three televised debates. To vote in the primary, you did not have to be a Socialist, just a registered voter willing to sign a paper saying that you agreed with the “values of the Left and of the Republic” (such as, liberty, equality, fraternity, secularism, justice and social progress) and pay 1 euro towards the cost of organizing the primary. After winning and becoming the official candidate of the Socialist Party, M. Hollande entered the campaign phase. As well as appearing at numerous “meetings” large and small, he and the other 9 presidential candidates were given free air time on the public television and radio stations during the six weeks before the first round of the election – an equal amount of time for each. Television newscasts were required to give each candidate equal time and each candidate was invited to speak at each of the political talk shows. At last April 22nd arrived -- the first round of the election. French elections always have two rounds. As the French saying goes “The first round is to choose and the second to eliminate.” Candidates from the major parties beg for people to “vote usefully” (that is for them). But a large percentage of the votes in the first round go the more radical "smaller candidates" – in this election 44% distributed among eight candidates and the rest for either M Hollande or M Sarkozy. The two weeks between the rounds is the most exciting part of the campaign for many. Candidates who came third or fourth call press conferences to tell people who they intend to support in the second round and sometimes urge their supporters to do the same. Journalists try to discover if any backroom deals are being stuck -- “Support me and I’ll name you to my Cabinet if I win.” -- while the major candidates deny any such thing is happening. And there is the debate – a face to face confrontation of the second round candidates. Two journalists are present as timekeepers. They try to ask questions and control answer times but usually fail miserably. The candidates are professionals. They have been debating for years and don’t need journalists to tell them how. The debate is announced for two hours and this year ran for nearly three. The campaign ended Friday at midnight as it must by law. No politics was discussed – on television at least – on Saturday, the “day of reflection.” No polls were published. On Sunday, the vote took place.

80% of eligible voters went to the polls (about average) and François Hollande was elected with 51.63% of their votes.

On May 15th, he will drive himself to the Elysées Palace. M Sarkozy will greet him and take him inside. An hour or so later, he will accompany M Sarkozy back out and shake hands with him. And France will have a new President.

Let's Dance

Like all university towns, Oxford is a lively place. I made my way through the streets before my friends’ party, mingling with swarms of tourists. I came upon the Town Crier in full regalia

and a group of earnest protesters.

Another treat was in store for me. I discoved this was the weekend of the Oxford Folk Festival with groups of dancers at every turn.

I love dancing, though I’ve never been much good at those that require actual sequences of steps. It’s not for lack of trying. A few years ago, inspired by a friend, I took up belly dancing– more elegantly called « oriental dancing ». My teacher said, encouragingly, after my 5th lesson, that I was beginning to get the hang of things. I made her laugh when I replied I had surprised several of my muscles which had been having a free ride for over 50 years and were shocked at the idea they were being requested to DO something! I was probably one of the few spectators that appreciated the effort of these young ladies.

Most of the dancers were Morris Dancers. Morris dancing is an old English tradition that had nearly died out until, in the early twentieth century, it was revived as a folk activity. My personal contact with Morris dancing occurred two years ago. Our English choir director that year had chosen Charles Stanford’s "The Morris Dance" for us to learn. It was not a huge success at first. The English member of our choir and I found it rather dull -- unlike any Morris dance music we had ever heard. The French majority were just puzzled by the words. I'm sure you can see why. “Come, lasses, come, come quickly! See, how trim they dance and trickly, Hey, there again! ho, there again! How the bells they shake it… Now for our town there take it… Soft awhile, not away so fast They melt them, Piper… be hanged awhile, Knave, the dancers swelt them, Out there, out awhile! you come too far… Give the hobby horse more room to play in.” A small group of us decided it was time everyone saw what we were singing about. Thanks to tips from Charlottesville’s own Albemarle Morris Men whose rehearsal I was able to attend earlier that spring,

videos and music from the internet and several evening rehearsals at the home of one of our choir members, our merry band of improvised Morris Dancers brought Stanford’s song to life at our final weekend rehearsal.

I watched the sides perform in Oxford that weekend

with my secret knowledge -- though they would never know it, I was one of them.

Oxford My Way

Back in the days of British Rail, I often used to add a few day’s vacation to one of the many May long weekends here in France and fly to England. Then, I decided where I wanted to go, went to the local tourist office and used their Book a Bed Ahead service. For a small fee, they found you a bed and breakfast at your destination for that night. I’d take the train in late afternoon, spend the night, explore what I could the next day and move on. On one of these trips, sometime in the ‘80s, I visited Oxford for the first time.

It was the day before Ascension Thursday. As I walked along past various colleges bookstores and pubs, I came to an ancient church called St Michael at the North Gate.

A sign outside said “Tomorrow – beating of the bounds”. That sounded intriguing. I needed to find someone to tell me what it meant. It was nearly dinner time and the church was near the Randolph Hotel (the very place Lord Peter Wimsey suggested taking Harriet Vane to in Gaudy Night!).

Surely someone there could help me? Several waiters conferred but no one knew. They decided to ring a colleague who was not working that evening since he “knew everything about Oxford”. Soon, my waiter came back to my table with the information. The beating of the bounds was an ancient custom. Once a year, the congregation went round the boundary of the Parish. An ancient custom in an ancient city sounded good. Thursday afternoon I left Oxford, a little disconcerted that I hadn’t been to any museums or taken any bus tours. True, I had run through the town with a stick following the priest, the choir and twenty or so parishioners, been fed cookies and ale at one college and lunch at another (drinking water out of a tankard pewter tankard that had the year 1746 engraved on it.) In between I had visited a pub (sherry) the local Marks and Spencers (mince pies in the employees’ dining room), the City Hall, the outside of the Sheldonian Theater and the Bodleian Library. Watch this video of a more recent Beating of the Bounds and you’ll understand why it’s still one of my most vivid memories. I’ve had several other trips to Oxford since but they were short ones for shopping or a meal while visiting friends that lived nearby. I still hadn’t managed to take a tour or see a museum. Then, in January, I got an invitation.

At last, I was going to Oxford again. I stayed at the Randolph and went to the new make-over of the very old Ashmolean Museum.

Still not as a normal tourist should, however. I had dinner there.

Beam Me Up Scottie

The person who wrote “It’s not the destination; it’s the journey. » certainly did not travel the way I do. The phrase that goes through my mind every time I pack my suitcase is “Beam me Up Scottie.” « If only it weren’t science fiction », I think wistfully. Of course, travel can be a pleasant experience. I discovered that when I went to Sri Lanka. Business class pampering followed by two weeks of my own guide in my own air-conditioned Toyota. Most of my travel, however, is like my recent trip to Oxford. From my apartment to the Gare du Nord I went, dragging and pushing my suitcase with my purse and my hand luggage over my shoulder. About 250 steps,

a 1.6 km. (almost a mile) walk, three turnstiles,

a ten minute metro journey and three escalators (joy they were all working!) later, I reached the special Eurostar area of the station. I’d thought I’d have time for coffee once I arrived. Alas, since my last visit, the café has given way to more space for passenger control. After showing my ticket to an agent, going through security – like airports but with shoes on – showing my passport to French police and showing my ticket, passport and landing card to British authorities, I was free to find a seat in the waiting room. Shortly thereafter, we were summoned down a moving ramp to our train. My seat was in the first car; we came down the ramp at car 11. Another walk. The Eurostar is still comfortable, though the seating configuration has become snugger over the years as the train has become increasingly popular. Over 9 million passengers travelled on it last year. I remember 1994 when it was new and exciting. They used to make an announcement as we entered the tunnel. Now, people read, watch videos or work on their presentations as if it was the most natural thing in the world to go from Paris to London in 2 hours and 15 minutes -- including 20 minutes under the English Channel. What happened to the romance? I arrived at St Pancras just before noon. I decided to go to Victoria Station and locate the coach stop for the Oxford Tube before lunch. After years of reminding Americans to take trains in Europe like the locals do instead of following their own “either take the plane or rent a car” reflexes, I had decided to take my own advice. Since British Rail’s privatization nearly 20 years ago , English trains have become overcrowded and expensive. For short journeys, coaches are the way to go. I visit England fairly often, but I always forget how pleasantly random, the English can be. The young woman at the information desk gave me almost inaudible instructions. I followed them as best I could and soon found a street with many buses in front of a fancy hotel. The concierge assured me that the Oxford Tube stopped there. The one I saw across the street was just coming in from Oxford. Time for my pub lunch. It was drizzling when I returned to wait for the coach. And wait. And wait. I saw two go past across the street but none came to where I was. Finally, a young woman volunteered to go inside and “make inquiries”. (Though the English can be vague they are often helpful.) She came back and told me I needed to go across the street and up a side street. Off I went, just in time.

A comfortable two hours later, I knew it had all been worth it.